Geometry optimization

Fixed cell

We use DFTK and the GeometryOptimization package to find the minimal-energy bond length of the $H_2$ molecule. First we set up an appropriate DFTKCalculator (see AtomsCalculators integration), for which we use the LDA model just like in the Tutorial for silicon in combination with a pseudodojo pseudopotential (see Pseudopotentials).

using DFTK
using PseudoPotentialData

pseudopotentials = PseudoFamily("dojo.nc.sr.pbe.v0_4_1.standard.upf")
calc = DFTKCalculator(;
    model_kwargs = (; functionals=LDA(), pseudopotentials),  # model_DFT keyword arguments
    basis_kwargs = (; kgrid=[1, 1, 1], Ecut=10)  # PlaneWaveBasis keyword arguments
)
DFTKCalculator(functionals=Xc(lda_x, lda_c_pw), pseudopotentials=PseudoFamily("dojo.nc.sr.pbe.v0_4_1.standard.upf"), Ecut=10, kgrid=[1, 1, 1])

Next we set up an initial hydrogen molecule within a box of vacuum. We use the parameters of the equivalent tutorial from ABINIT and DFTK's AtomsBase integration to setup the hydrogen molecule. We employ a simulation box of 10 bohr times 10 bohr times 10 bohr and a pseudodojo pseudopotential.

using LinearAlgebra
using Unitful
using UnitfulAtomic

r0 = 1.4   # Initial bond length in Bohr
a  = 10.0  # Box size in Bohr

cell_vectors = [[a, 0, 0]u"bohr", [0, a, 0]u"bohr", [0, 0, a]u"bohr"]
h2_crude = periodic_system([:H => [0, 0, 0.]u"bohr",
                            :H => [r0, 0, 0]u"bohr"],
                           cell_vectors)
FlexibleSystem(H₂, periodicity = TTT):
    cell_vectors      : [      10        0        0;
                                0       10        0;
                                0        0       10]u"a₀"

    Atom(H,  [       0,        0,        0]u"a₀")
    Atom(H,  [     1.4,        0,        0]u"a₀")

Finally we call minimize_energy! to start the geometry optimisation. We use verbosity=2 to get some insight into the minimisation. With verbosity=1 only a summarising table would be printed and with verbosity=0 (default) the minimisation would be quiet.

using GeometryOptimization
results = minimize_energy!(h2_crude, calc; tol_forces=2e-6, verbosity=2)
nothing  # hide
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.110914632815                   -0.83   0.80    7.0    3.48s
  2   -1.117208123450       -2.20       -1.92   0.80    1.0    1.62s
  3   -1.117250534410       -4.37       -2.72   0.80    1.0   19.7ms
  4   -1.117251159666       -6.20       -3.51   0.80    1.0   19.4ms
  5   -1.117251188028       -7.55       -4.12   0.80    1.0   19.7ms
  6   -1.117251190058       -8.69       -5.26   0.80    1.0   32.7ms
  7   -1.117251190142      -10.07       -5.67   0.80    2.0   22.6ms
  8   -1.117251190142   +  -12.66       -5.62   0.80    1.0   20.8ms
  9   -1.117251190143      -12.05       -7.01   0.80    1.0   26.1ms
 10   -1.117251190143      -13.83       -7.38   0.80    2.0   23.0ms
 11   -1.117251190143      -14.51       -8.30   0.80    1.0    110ms
 12   -1.117251190143   +  -14.57       -8.83   0.80    2.0   32.9ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.117251190143                   -9.36   0.80    1.0    3.70s
  2   -1.117251190143   +  -14.51      -10.36   0.80    1.0   21.7ms

    Geometry optimisation convergence (in atomic units)
┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬────────┐
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │  Δtime │
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼────────┤
│   0 │ -1.117251190143 │           │   0.0269318 │  20.9s │
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴────────┘

n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.117517997979                   -2.46   0.80    1.0   13.7ms
  2   -1.117520586053       -5.59       -3.49   0.80    1.0   20.4ms
  3   -1.117520612986       -7.57       -4.23   0.80    1.0   22.3ms
  4   -1.117520613449       -9.33       -5.14   0.80    1.0   77.2ms
  5   -1.117520613464      -10.81       -5.92   0.80    1.0   19.9ms
  6   -1.117520613465      -12.15       -6.42   0.80    1.0   20.3ms
  7   -1.117520613465      -13.32       -7.40   0.80    1.0   20.6ms
  8   -1.117520613465      -14.70       -8.21   0.80    1.0   22.9ms
  9   -1.117520613465   +  -14.95       -8.93   0.80    1.0   39.8ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118247264592                   -1.69   0.80    1.0   13.2ms
  2   -1.118339043933       -4.04       -2.70   0.80    1.0   18.7ms
  3   -1.118340011112       -6.01       -3.44   0.80    1.0   19.2ms
  4   -1.118340028553       -7.76       -4.36   0.80    1.0   25.4ms
  5   -1.118340029137       -9.23       -5.12   0.80    1.0   19.5ms
  6   -1.118340029164      -10.57       -5.62   0.80    1.0   19.8ms
  7   -1.118340029166      -11.73       -6.68   0.80    1.0   25.5ms
  8   -1.118340029166      -13.54       -7.58   0.80    1.0   21.0ms
  9   -1.118340029166      -14.81       -8.12   0.80    1.0   21.0ms
 10   -1.118340029166   +  -14.48       -8.55   0.80    1.0   23.1ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118340029166                   -9.05   0.80    1.0   13.1ms
  2   -1.118340029166      -15.35      -10.36   0.80    1.0   24.9ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118340029166                  -11.05   0.80    1.0   13.1ms
  2   -1.118340029166      -14.88      -11.42   0.80    1.0   25.1ms

┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬────────┐
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │  Δtime │
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼────────┤
│   1 │ -1.118340029166 │           │  0.00297055 │  3.07s │
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴────────┘

n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118346721506                   -3.09   0.80    1.0   19.3ms
  2   -1.118346864758       -6.84       -4.11   0.80    1.0   19.0ms
  3   -1.118346866235       -8.83       -4.86   0.80    1.0   24.6ms
  4   -1.118346866261      -10.59       -5.78   0.80    1.0   19.5ms
  5   -1.118346866262      -12.08       -6.55   0.80    1.0   19.6ms
  6   -1.118346866262      -13.42       -7.04   0.80    1.0   22.7ms
  7   -1.118346866262      -15.05       -8.13   0.80    1.0   20.6ms
  8   -1.118346866262      -14.88       -8.95   0.80    1.0   22.9ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118354724004                   -2.61   0.80    1.0   13.2ms
  2   -1.118356087056       -5.87       -3.62   0.80    1.0   18.6ms
  3   -1.118356101131       -7.85       -4.37   0.80    1.0   21.3ms
  4   -1.118356101377       -9.61       -5.29   0.80    1.0   19.4ms
  5   -1.118356101385      -11.10       -6.06   0.80    1.0   22.0ms
  6   -1.118356101386      -12.45       -6.55   0.80    1.0   20.0ms
  7   -1.118356101386      -13.58       -7.65   0.80    1.0   22.8ms
  8   -1.118356101386      -14.57       -8.45   0.80    1.0   20.6ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118356101386                   -9.24   0.80    1.0   13.1ms
  2   -1.118356101386      -14.15       -9.82   0.80    1.0   21.6ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118356101386                  -10.62   0.80    1.0   15.9ms
  2   -1.118356101386   +  -15.18      -11.46   0.80    1.0   18.7ms

┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬────────┐
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │  Δtime │
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼────────┤
│   2 │ -1.118356101386 │     -4.79 │  4.47268e-5 │  534ms │
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴────────┘

n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118356102848                   -4.94   0.80    1.0   13.2ms
  2   -1.118356102877      -10.54       -5.96   0.80    1.0   24.8ms
  3   -1.118356102877      -12.52       -6.70   0.80    1.0   19.1ms
  4   -1.118356102877      -14.12       -7.62   0.80    1.0   19.4ms
  5   -1.118356102877   +  -14.75       -8.39   0.80    1.0   85.8ms
  6   -1.118356102877   +  -15.05       -8.89   0.80    1.0   20.4ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118356104771                   -4.40   0.80    1.0   13.5ms
  2   -1.118356105116       -9.46       -5.42   0.80    1.0   19.0ms
  3   -1.118356105120      -11.45       -6.17   0.80    1.0   19.0ms
  4   -1.118356105120      -13.20       -7.09   0.80    1.0   19.4ms
  5   -1.118356105120      -14.65       -7.86   0.80    1.0   19.9ms
  6   -1.118356105120   +  -14.88       -8.35   0.80    1.0   20.3ms
  7   -1.118356105120      -15.65       -9.45   0.80    1.0   21.4ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118356105120                  -10.08   0.80    1.0   13.8ms
  2   -1.118356105120      -14.45      -11.02   0.80    1.0   20.4ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -1.118356105120                  -11.67   0.80    1.0   14.9ms
  2   -1.118356105120      -14.51      -12.44   0.80    1.0   19.7ms

┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬────────┐
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │  Δtime │
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼────────┤
│   3 │ -1.118356105120 │     -8.43 │  1.09557e-8 │  1.09s │
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴────────┘

Structure after optimisation (note that the atom has wrapped around)

results.system
FlexibleSystem(H₂, periodicity = TTT):
    cell_vectors      : [      10        0        0;
                                0       10        0;
                                0        0       10]u"a₀"

    Atom(H,  [-0.0431829, -1.36191e-34, 1.72478e-34]u"a₀")
    Atom(H,  [ 1.44318, -1.85624e-34, -2.6504e-35]u"a₀")

Compute final bond length:

rmin = norm(position(results.system[1]) - position(results.system[2]))
println("Optimal bond length: ", rmin)
Optimal bond length: 1.48636586486918 a₀

Our result (1.486 Bohr) agrees with the equivalent tutorial from ABINIT.

Variable cell

Recent versions of GeometryOptimization support cell optimization as well by passing variablecell=true to minimize_energy!.

For a plane-wave code like DFTK, variable cells pose an additional challenge: changes to the cell's size affect the used plane waves, leading to discontinuities in the energy and stresses. This can cause the geometry optimization to struggle and/or fail to converge.

A practical strategy to overcome this problem is Energy cutoff smearing. As a demonstration let us find the optimal lattice constant of silicon.

Like before we define a calculator, this time with a kinetic_blowup set to use energy cutoff smearing:

calc = DFTKCalculator(;
    model_kwargs = (; functionals=LDA(), pseudopotentials,
                      kinetic_blowup=BlowupCHV()),
    basis_kwargs = (; kgrid=[2, 2, 2], Ecut=10)
)
DFTKCalculator(functionals=Xc(lda_x, lda_c_pw), pseudopotentials=PseudoFamily("dojo.nc.sr.pbe.v0_4_1.standard.upf"), Ecut=10, kgrid=[2, 2, 2])

And here is our starting silicon structure:

a = 10.0u"bohr"   # Approximate Silicon lattice constant
cell_vectors = a/2 * [[0, 1, 1], [1, 0, 1], [1, 1, 0]]
initial_silicon = periodic_system([:Si =>  ones(3)/8,
                                   :Si => -ones(3)/8],
                                  cell_vectors;
                                  fractional=true)
FlexibleSystem(Si₂, periodicity = TTT):
    cell_vectors      : [       0        5        5;
                                5        0        5;
                                5        5        0]u"a₀"

    Atom(Si, [    1.25,     1.25,     1.25]u"a₀")
    Atom(Si, [   -1.25,    -1.25,    -1.25]u"a₀")

We now minimize, passing variablecell=true:

using GeometryOptimization
results = minimize_energy!(initial_silicon, calc; variablecell=true,
                           tol_virial=2e-6, verbosity=2)
nothing  # hide
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.335324546536                   -0.81   0.80    7.7    780ms
  2   -8.340903061565       -2.25       -1.69   0.80    1.3    639ms
  3   -8.341207818736       -3.52       -2.74   0.80    2.7   36.1ms
  4   -8.341214252717       -5.19       -3.38   0.80    3.7   44.2ms
  5   -8.341214271157       -7.73       -4.30   0.80    1.3   33.4ms
  6   -8.341214272463       -8.88       -5.73   0.80    2.3   68.3ms
  7   -8.341214272517      -10.27       -5.78   0.80    4.3   46.2ms
  8   -8.341214272518      -11.90       -6.91   0.80    1.0   27.2ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.341214272518                   -7.46   0.80    1.0    624ms
  2   -8.341214272518      -13.97       -7.64   0.80    1.0   26.1ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.341214272518                   -8.35   0.80    1.0   22.8ms
  2   -8.341214272518   +  -14.15       -8.49   0.80    1.0   26.1ms

                 Geometry optimisation convergence (in atomic units)
┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬──────────┬────────┐
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │ max(Virial) │ Pressure │  Δtime │
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼──────────┼────────┤
│   0 │ -8.341214272518 │           │ 1.64346e-33 │    0.163458 │    -0.16 │  30.2s │
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴──────────┴────────┘

n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.350579035748                   -1.21   0.80    8.7   72.6ms
  2   -8.351864454619       -2.89       -1.88   0.80    1.3   29.9ms
  3   -8.351927013749       -4.20       -2.79   0.80    3.3   40.8ms
  4   -8.351928508140       -5.83       -3.65   0.80    3.7   45.0ms
  5   -8.351928514382       -8.20       -4.66   0.80    2.0   56.0ms
  6   -8.351928514742       -9.44       -5.36   0.80    4.3   45.5ms
  7   -8.351928514754      -10.92       -6.38   0.80    4.3   44.4ms
  8   -8.351928514755      -12.67       -7.18   0.80    3.7   41.6ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353381570619                   -1.52   0.80    8.0   70.4ms
  2   -8.353729086677       -3.46       -2.21   0.80    1.0   26.6ms
  3   -8.353757343139       -4.55       -2.95   0.80    4.0   42.7ms
  4   -8.353757519138       -6.75       -4.15   0.80    2.3   32.8ms
  5   -8.353757531583       -7.90       -4.89   0.80    3.7   45.8ms
  6   -8.353757531643      -10.22       -5.55   0.80    2.7   35.8ms
  7   -8.353757531647      -11.42       -6.83   0.80    2.7   35.8ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353757531647                   -7.54   0.80    1.0   23.0ms
  2   -8.353757531647      -14.05       -8.11   0.80    1.0   26.2ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353757531647                   -8.72   0.80    1.0   22.9ms
  2   -8.353757531647   +    -Inf       -8.90   0.80    1.0   26.4ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353757531647                   -9.39   0.80    1.0   23.4ms
  2   -8.353757531647   +  -14.45       -9.49   0.80    1.0   26.3ms

┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬──────────┬────────┐
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │ max(Virial) │ Pressure │  Δtime │
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼──────────┼────────┤
│   1 │ -8.353757531647 │           │             │   0.0156413 │   -0.016 │  6.48s │
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴──────────┴────────┘

n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353720355278                   -3.20   0.80    8.3   65.1ms
  2   -8.353760403803       -4.40       -3.91   0.80    1.0   27.3ms
  3   -8.353770532641       -4.99       -3.86   0.80    6.0   55.9ms
  4   -8.353770536531       -8.41       -4.16   0.80    1.0   26.8ms
  5   -8.353770536960       -9.37       -4.51   0.80    2.3   32.3ms
  6   -8.353770537318       -9.45       -5.48   0.80    2.0   32.1ms
  7   -8.353770537330      -10.91       -5.97   0.80    2.7   36.7ms
  8   -8.353770537331      -12.57       -6.51   0.80    3.3   37.2ms
  9   -8.353770537330   +  -13.57       -6.41   0.80    2.3   35.7ms
 10   -8.353770537331      -13.30       -7.36   0.80    1.0   27.5ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353774626694                   -2.00   0.80    8.3   66.0ms
  2   -8.353876729535       -3.99       -2.70   0.80    1.0   26.4ms
  3   -8.353895058683       -4.74       -3.33   0.80    4.0   44.3ms
  4   -8.353895106332       -7.32       -4.23   0.80    2.0   46.4ms
  5   -8.353895110718       -8.36       -5.08   0.80    3.3   41.1ms
  6   -8.353895110768      -10.31       -5.75   0.80    3.3   40.5ms
  7   -8.353895110770      -11.73       -7.60   0.80    2.0   34.4ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353895110770                   -7.93   0.80    1.0   23.4ms
  2   -8.353895110770      -14.45       -8.49   0.80    1.0   27.0ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353895110770                   -8.86   0.80    1.0   23.4ms
  2   -8.353895110770      -14.75       -9.07   0.80    1.0   26.7ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353895110770                   -9.36   0.80    1.0   24.0ms
  2   -8.353895110770      -14.75       -9.55   0.80    1.0   27.2ms

┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬──────────┬────────┐
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │ max(Virial) │ Pressure │  Δtime │
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼──────────┼────────┤
│   2 │ -8.353895110770 │     -3.86 │             │  0.00064618 │ -0.00065 │  2.85s │
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴──────────┴────────┘

n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353778794683                   -3.44   0.80    7.3   61.4ms
  2   -8.353875605599       -4.01       -3.63   0.80    1.0   30.9ms
  3   -8.353895211685       -4.71       -3.78   0.80    6.0   57.3ms
  4   -8.353895211742      -10.24       -3.95   0.80    1.0   27.2ms
  5   -8.353895212184       -9.36       -4.33   0.80    1.0   27.3ms
  6   -8.353895212430       -9.61       -4.67   0.80    1.3   32.5ms
  7   -8.353895212511      -10.09       -5.49   0.80    2.0   32.7ms
  8   -8.353895212513      -11.85       -5.34   0.80    3.3   40.9ms
  9   -8.353895212516      -11.54       -5.77   0.80    1.0   31.2ms
 10   -8.353895212516      -12.19       -6.53   0.80    1.7   31.6ms
 11   -8.353895212516      -13.37       -6.94   0.80    3.0   39.7ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353796567727                   -3.40   0.80    8.0   65.1ms
  2   -8.353878620163       -4.09       -3.85   0.80    1.0   27.1ms
  3   -8.353895362458       -4.78       -4.22   0.80    6.0   62.4ms
  4   -8.353895362649       -9.72       -4.76   0.80    1.3   29.2ms
  5   -8.353895362682      -10.48       -5.27   0.80    1.3   29.7ms
  6   -8.353895362685      -11.44       -5.77   0.80    1.7   31.1ms
  7   -8.353895362686      -12.49       -7.33   0.80    2.0   36.1ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353895362686                   -8.20   0.80    1.0   23.7ms
  2   -8.353895362686      -14.15       -8.21   0.80    1.0   32.0ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353895362686                   -8.88   0.80    1.0   24.0ms
  2   -8.353895362686      -14.75       -8.86   0.80    1.0   26.5ms
n     Energy            log10(ΔE)   log10(Δρ)   α      Diag   Δtime 
---   ---------------   ---------   ---------   ----   ----   ------
  1   -8.353895362686                   -9.45   0.80    1.0   23.2ms
  2   -8.353895362686   +  -14.75       -9.42   0.80    1.0   26.2ms

┌─────┬─────────────────┬───────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬──────────┬────────┐
│   n │          Energy │ log10(ΔE) │  max(Force) │ max(Virial) │ Pressure │  Δtime │
├─────┼─────────────────┼───────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼──────────┼────────┤
│   3 │ -8.353895362686 │     -6.60 │             │  1.71105e-6 │  -1.7e-6 │  3.02s │
└─────┴─────────────────┴───────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴──────────┴────────┘

Structure after optimization

results.system
FlexibleSystem(Si₂, periodicity = TTT):
    cell_vectors      : [2.22552e-67  5.27783  5.27783;
                          5.27783 -2.22552e-67  5.27783;
                          5.27783  5.27783 2.22552e-67]u"a₀"

    Atom(Si, [ 1.31946,  1.31946,  1.31946]u"a₀")
    Atom(Si, [-1.31946, -1.31946, -1.31946]u"a₀")

Since here the cell was rescaled but its shape did not change, we directly extract the optimal lattice constant from one of the cell vectors:

using AtomsBase
amin = AtomsBase.cell_vectors(results.system)[1][2]*2
println("Optimal lattice constant: ", amin)
Optimal lattice constant: 10.555662944162885 a₀

Note that while for silicon the positions of the atoms are fixed by symmetry, in general a variable cell optimization will try to optimize both the cell and the positions of the individual atoms.